Washing machine mechanism



July 14, 1942. T GARUBQ "2,289,419

WASHING MACHINE I MECHANISM Filed Feb. 29, 1940 INVENTOR. IFIQZ JOSEPHT. GARUBO HIS ATTORNEY.

Patentecl July 14, 1942 UNITED STAT ES Fi i? T FFICE WASHING MACHINEMECHANISM Joseph T. Garubo, Cleveland, Ohio Application February 29,1940, Serial No. 321,487

Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in household ,washing machineswhereby a higher water level may be maintained in the tub of the machineand, at the same time, the water is prevented from access to thebearings and like parts.

In United States Letters Patent No. 2,065,686, issued to me on December29,1936, there is shown and described an improvement for this generalpurpose, but the structure therein de scribed does not nrake possible thmaintenance of as high a water level as does the present invention, andis not as'eiiicient in operation.

'In present types of household washing machines, an increase of an inchto two in the permissible depth of water above the bottom of theagitator very greatly increases the tub capacity. If, at the same time,the agitator is made effective up to the higher water level, a verygreat increase in-capacity and efficiency of the machine can beobtained. Likewise, it is necessary that the water be constrained fromentering the hearings or the agitator shaft.

One of the principal objects of the present invention, therefore, is toprovide a means which can readily be embodied in the present types ofmachines and by which the bearings of the agitator shaft are soprotected that the water level can be raised to substantially the fulldepth of the tub.

Anoth'er'obiect'i's toprovid'e amore ruggedand durable connectionbetween the agitator and'the drive shaft thereof so that wear of theconnection is reduced to "a minimum and vibration and 'slackne'sssubstantially are eliminated.

Another object is to provide a structure for the purposes describedwhich can be so incorporated in the agitatorthat the agitator candirectly opcrate on materials in the tub substantially to the top wallof the agitator.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingspecification wherein reference is made to the drawing, in which:

Fig. '1 is a fragmentary vertical section through a washing machineillustrating my invention, part thereof being shown in elevation forclearness in illustration;

Fig. '2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken one. planeindicated by line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken on a plane indicated by theline 33 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the various parts, partly in section,illustrating particularly a preferred ernbodiment of the connectionbetween the agitator and it drive shaft and the manner in which theparts are assembled with respect to each other.

Referring to Fig. 1, the invention is shown embodied in the usualhousehold washing machine having a tub i, to the bottom wall of which isfixed an upright hollow post or agitator support 2, the post 2 being insealed relation with the bottom of the tub and its interior beingaccessible through a suitable aligned hole in the tub. The post orsupport 2 has an external bearing 3 which cooperates with acomplementary internal bearing surface of an agitator 4, in a well knownmanner. The agitator t is of the oscillatable, radial vane type andpreferably comprises a hollow central column 5 having radial vanes 6extending therefrom. Mounted in the post or support 2 on suitablebearings and supported in fixed axial position therein is anoscillatingdrive shaft 7 which'may be driven by a suitable crank arm orsegmental gear 3 from suitable driving mechanism in the customarymanner.

As better'illustrated in Fig. 2, the support 2 is provided at its upperend with an internal bearing 9 in the form of a bushing and in which theshaft 1 oscillates, the bearing 9 preferably terminating upwardly at theupper end of the support 2.

Previous to the invention described in my U. S. Letters Patent No.2,665,686, the general practice was to maintain the water level in thetub a substantial distance below the top of the support 2 so that,notwithstanding the usual splashing occasioned by operation of theagitator, water could not enter-the bearing 9. In my pat-- out aboveidentified, there is disclosed a structure which makes possible themaintenance of a water level a substantial distance above the bearing 9and top of the support 2.

In accordance with the present invention, however, it is desired to makepossible the raising of the water level substantially to the top wall orupper limit of the agitator and to extend the vanes to this higher levelso as to increase both the volumetric capacity of the machine and theeffective size of the agitator. In-order to accomplish this result, thestructure illustrated in Fig. 2 is provided. Therein the various partsare shown as separable so that the invention can be incorporated asreplacements for or revisions of machines, it being understood that innew machines many of the parts may be formed integral with the support 2and the column 5 of the agitator.

Referring to Fig. 2, a heavy rigid collar id is .fixedly secured on theupper portion of the support 2 by screw threaded engagement therewith orotherwise and terminates at its upper end flush with the upper end ofthe support. The collar ID has external threads II near its upper endwhich receive a sleeve I2. The sleeve is internally threaded at itslower end and is provided with an annular internal shoulder I3. Asealing washer or gasket I4, preferably of lead, is interposed betweenthe shoulder I3 and the upper end of the collar I so as to assure aneffective seal therebetween.

The upper end of the drive shaft extends above the upper end of thesupport 2 and carries a torque block I5 which is secured to the shaftfor oscillation therewith. This torque block is preferably madedetachable in all instances so as to afford ready access to the bearing9, to permit removal of the shaft 1 from the bottom, and to makepossible replacement of the torque block I5 in the event it becomesdamaged in any manner. Consequently, the connection between the torqueblock I5 and shaft I is made by a tapered pin I6.

As better illustrated in Fig. 4, the torque block I5 is provided at itsupper end with a plurality of radial lugs H, the lugs preferably beingin the form of circular sectors with true radial side faces. Since theselugs are subjected to severe stresses due to the oscillation of theagitator thereby, they are reinforced at the upper end by means of abridge I8, connected with all the lugs, so as to prevent spreading ofthe lugs and resultant rattling and vibration.

The upper end of the shaft I abuts the underside of the bridge I8 whenthe torque block is installed, thus relieving the pin I6 from thestresses occasioned by the weight and impacts of the agitator. Theagitator column 5 is closed at its upper end with a cap I9 which is insealed engagement with the column 5 and forms the top wall thereof, andwhich, if desired, may be formed integral with the column 5. If formedseparately, as in the embodiment illustrated, it is secured againstrotation relative to the column by means of suitable pins such asillustrated at 20.

On the underside of the top wall are a plurality of radial lugs 2I whichhave true radial side faces fitting snugly between adjacent side facesof the lugs I'I. Near their bases, the lugs 2| are thickened radially,so that they form relatively inturned portions 22 which extend radiallyinwardly from the upper ends of the lugs H to the bridge I8. Thus thelugs I! are reenforced at the bridge which is at the point of greateststress thereon, and the lugs 2| are reenforced by the portions 22 at thecorresponding points thereon.

The under surface of the top wall of the agi tator rests upon the upperend of the torque block I5 and the entire weight of the agitator issupported thereby and therethrough by the shaft I. The top Wall isprovided with a relatively deep annular channel 23 which is positionedoutwardl from the lugs 2I and which extends to such a depth that itseffective bottom is substantially at the top limit of the top wall ofthe cap I9, or of the agitator generally, and thus above the top of thevanes ofthe agitator. The channel 23 is so positioned and related to thesleeve I2 that the upper end of the sleeve I2 extends substantially tothe bottom of the channel with positive, but slight, operating clearanceonly. The inner circumferential Wall of the cap I9, or agitator, forms acontinuation of the outer wall of the channel and provides a surfacesubstantially complementary to the outer surface of the sleeve, withvery slight operating clearance. A slight operating clearance inaddition to the thickness of the washer or gasket I4 should be providedbetween the bottom of the torque block I5 and the upper end of thesupport 2, bearing 9, and collar I0 so as to prevent wear on the Washeror gasket.

Referring again to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that the water levelmay be carried to the top of the sleeve I2 without danger of entry ofwater into the bearings, and by virtue of the channel 23, the top of thesleeve is brought substan tially to the top of the agitator itself. Thusthe capacity of the tub of the washing machine is materially increased,and, if desired, the vanes can be carried substantially to the top ofthe agitator, thus increasing not only the fluid capacity of the washingmachine, but also the effective cleaning or operating range of theagitator.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a washing machine having a tub, an upright hollow support rigidlysecured therein, a drive shaft mounted in and extending upwardly beyondthe support, an agitator having a hollow column coaxial with the shaftand closed at its upper end, a torque block at the upper end of andrigid with said shaft, connecting means on the upper end of the torqueblock and on the under side of the upper end portion of the agitatorcolumn, respectively, said means drivingly detachably connecting theblock and agitator, said column having an internal downwardly openannular circular channel in its upper end, portion with the bottom ofthe channel disposed in close proximity to the upper surface of the saidupper end portion of said columns and above the level of said connectingmeans, and an imperporate annular sleeve fixed relative to and extendingupwardly from the support around said connecting means and into saidchannel and with its outer circumferential wall closely fitting theouter side wall of the channel and having its upper end slightly spacedfrom the top wall of the channel.

2. In a washing machine having an upright hollow imperforate rigidsupport, a drive shaft mounted in and extending upwardly beyond thesupport, an oscillatable agitator having a central tubular portion withvanes projecting therefrom, connectirg means on the upper end of theshaft, cooperating connecting means in the upper end of the tubularportion and constituting with the first connecting means a readilydetachable driving connection between the shaft and the tubular portionof the agitator, an imperforate rigid sleeve constituting an upwardextension of the imperforate support and fixed relative thereto andlying within said tubular portion of the agitator, said sleeve extendingfrom a location below the connection to a location above the connectionand in surrounding relation to the driving connection, said sleevehaving its outer circumferential wall in sliding contact with saidtubular portion continuously from one of said locations to the other ofsaid locations and for a distance such that the agitator may be raisedsufficiently to disestablish the driving connection without breakingsaid contact of the sleeve and tubular portion, whereby the tubularportion of the agitator is supported in the region of the detachableconnection.

3. In a washing machine having a tub, an upright hollow support rigidlysecured therein, a

drive shaft mounted in and upwardly beyond the support, an agitatorhaving a hollow column coaxial with the shaft and closedat its upperend, a torque block on said shaft, circumferentially spaced lugs on theupper end of said block having upright radial faces, complementarydepending lugs on the underside of the top wall of the column, saidlatter lugs having inwardly projecting reinforcements near the upperportion thereof, a bridge connecting the lugs of said torque block attheir upper ends and received between said projecting reinforcementswhile the radial faces of the lugs are in engagement.

4. In a washing machine of the type having 15 tator, said connectioncomprising a torque block 20 on the shaft having upstandingcircumferentially spaced lugs with generally radially disposed drivingfaces, depending lugs on the agitator with faces complementary to thefaces of the aforesaid lugs, and a bridge disposed upwardly 2 beyond theshaft and connecting together the upper ends of all the upstanding lugs.

iii

5. In a washing machine having a tub, an upright hollow support rigidlysecured therein, a drive shaft in and coaxial with the support, abearing in the upper end of the support for the shaft, said shaftprotruding above said bearing, an agitator having a hollow columncoaxial with the shaft and closed at its upper end, complementary lugsabove the bearing and carried by the protruding end of the shaft and bythe upper end Wall of the column and in engagement with each other fordrivingly connecting the shaft and agitator, a circular sleeve carriedon and in fixed relation to the support and extending to a point inclose proximity to the upper end wall of the agitator column and insurrounding relation to said connecting lugs for preventing access ofwater into the support, the inner wall of the agitator column being inclosely fitting relation to the outer wall of the sleeve from a locationabove the level of the lugs to a location below the level of the lugsand for a material distance downwardly from the upper end of the sleeveand affording a bearing for the agitator substantially in the horizontalplane of the driving lugs and for a material distance beyond the lugsboth upwardly and downwardly.

JOSEPH T. GARUBO.

